All my wife roses died

[Valv]

Last year my wife spent a lot of time starting her rose garden, she really enjoyed it.

This winter she trimmed the branches, buried everything under wood chips and used plastic tubs to cover each plant.

All the roses are located on top of a retaining wall.

We don't understand what happened, the year before they did ok (but wasn't as cold as last winter).

We think the space between the retaining wall and the roots is too little and frost has frozen them all.

Here's a picture of the area

[iffy]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Frost moves sideways as well as down. Your wife really had that looking nice. I'm sure she will get it there again.

[bottomdweller]

Thats really a bummer. Im sure the frost got em. Those roses are touchy. I think I would go with something other than roses being they are that close to a wall. Good luck with whatever way ya go.

[LABS4ME]

It's probably not the roots that froze out, but rather the tops. In Minnesota, all hybrid teas and minnatures need to be buried to consistantly over winter. The ground temps only get so cold. This is actually called the 'Minnesota tip method'.

When I was in school, we did a study for 2 years on the 'tip method' vs. rose cones and no protection. The tip method was close to 100% successful the 2 years we did the study. The rose cone was around 5-10% and no protection had 1 plant make it each year.

If you are not into pruning and burying your roses each fall, try some of the more winter hardy, "Hardy Rose Shrubs". There are dozens in which to choose from as to: bloom periods, size and color. They typically only require a hard pruning in the spring down to live growth and away they go again for another season. The 'pavement series' has proven exceptionally hardy...

Good Luck!

Ken